The RMT London Taxi branch recently asked a number of questions of Peter Hendy the Transport commissioner our enquiry was passed to John Mason Director of Taxis and Private Hire. The questions related to "Satellite mini-cab offices" and the "Safer Travel at Night" programme which was implemented by the previous Mayor/Chair of Transport for London.
We will be publishing the questions and answers shortly and debating this serious issue at forthcoming branch meetings. We have requested clarification and further information on one point/question and due to this matter it would not be right to state something that may well mislead or give you the self employed Taxi-cab driver a false impression.
The Safer Travel at Night programme was set up at a time of economic boom and let us all be honest here the boom has certainly gone and the road to economic recovery looks like it will be a long hard one.
The London Taxi-cab driver is self employed and due to this chooses what hours he or she works. In the late 1990's a study took place and it was agreed that the meter should reflect the unsocial hours that people work and the Taxi trade benefited from the introduction of rate 3 which was later changed as it was felt it started to early. Rate 2 was introduced between 8-10pm with rate 3 starting at 10pm and ending at 6am. This was a major achievement by all concerned.
Rate 3 vastly improved the supply of Taxi-cabs at night within the capital but at the same time streets and roads were being closed to traffic and our ability to move about the capital has been hindered by local and regional government. With a massive increase in buses and an explosion of private hire the available road space has been reduced and this has choked the supply of Taxi-cabs in central London. The creation of the satellite mini-cab office has ignored case law, allowed a class of vehicle to illegally "ply for hire" and it appears local councils ignore their own parking regulations and allow many to park/rank illegally on the public highway.
The RMT London Taxi branch is to launch a campaign to highlight the illegality, the danger, the touting and the failure of the Police, local Councils, Transport for London and the division PCO who actually grant these licences at these premises.
The basic premise for our campaign is simple, we (the RMT London Taxi branch) firmly believe that the policies of London and Local Government have created a situation where we the London Taxi-cab driver are unable to "ply for hire" effectively or in an efficent manner due to road/street closures, bad town planning, contra flow bus lanes, lack of rank space and the complete failure and lack of enforcement by the Police and TFL.
The authorities should take note that our members and colleagues see the lengths that TFL and the Met Police go to to protect revenue on the buses with reguar raids at various locations throughout the capital. If TFL need extra revenue so they can enforce the law in an adequate fashion they should seek to raise significant revenues from the private hire trade and not the London Taxi-cab driver.
TFL are a statutory authority and the RMT London Taxi branch expects this authority to carry out its duty with a degree of care towards an industry that it governs. The laws that govern our right to "ply for hire" need to be upheld.
The RMT London Taxi branch will be launching "Sack the Satellites" at the next branch meeting on Wednesday the 9th June 2010 if you wish to save your job, our trade and your way of life join the only trade union that is prepared to stand up for your rights. Get organised join the RMT online at http://www.rmt.org.uk/ !
John Kennedy Chairman RMT London taxi branch.
PS Recently it was mentioned by Westminster City Council that they are considering increasing parking times in the West End. The RMT London Taxi branch would like to discuss this interesting idea proposed by Westminster City Council for it could free up road space and improve traffic flow. Rest ranks/bays would certainly be needed for Taxi-cabs on a much greater scale than at present but any idea that improves traffic flow is worth looking at and certainly debating. We at the RMT look forward to discussing this issue/idea with Martin Low head of transportation at the council.
